Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-07-15

YOUR other guests. ] assure you that
( abandon my plan without the least per
sonal feeling, except regret constrained
thereto by sense of duty adjusted by q
desire to save any embarrassment to the
people OF st. Louis or their expected
guests, and with heart full OF grateful
appreciation CT the sincere and unaffected
kindness of Your citizens. Hoping the
! encampment may be an occasion OF mitch
usefulness, and that It's proceedings may
! illustrate the highest patriotism OF Amer
lean citizenship, I an yours, very sim
cerely, GROVER CLEVELAND. =
HOW ST. LOUIS FEELS.
ST. LOUIS, Mo, July THE Presi-
dents letter to Mayor Frances, with
drawing his acceptance of the invitation
| Of the people of s.. Louis to visit this
city during the Grand Army encampment,
has stirred up hot and diversified express
sions of opinion. The committee that
took the invitation to the President feel
that their labor has beer in vain and are
strong in their denuncistion of the meE
who were instrumental IN the defeat Of
their plsn. Their friends ere equally dis
/ pleased, especially so IS the citizens Of
! St. Lopis hsd made great effort TO in
duCe the President to make the visit. The
chagrin was so great that they wished to
/ organize Immediately to invite the Grand
Army to find another place for their en-
Campment, and some promised very icy
reception TO the gallant soldiers. There
/ were many others, however, who saw the
/ wisdom of the Presidents couEse, and
were well pleased thai the city has been
! relieved Of what promised to be
an unpleasant affair. Many feel that the
/ city has been humiliated and ere indig-
/ nant about it, but agree thet the grand
army encampment shall be glorious sue
( cess, and that st some other time the
/ President shall have reception in keep
| ing with the high office he holds. In re-
gard to this the citizens committee de.
/ termiLed to take immediate steps, end at
I o'clock this afternoon assembled in the
/ office of Mayor Frances AMI discussed The
situation. 1t was unanimously conceded
to be 81 unfortunate state of sffaiTs and
steps were taken TO have the President
invited tC come at smother time.
For this purpose Z committee
was appointed 10 draw up
resolutions to be submitted to mass
meeting Of citizens that will be called to
assemble at the Merchants Exchange TO-
morrow afternoon. These resolutions
will embOdy an invitation to the Pres
ident TO visit this city during the far
week, early in October, or az some other
time that may suit his convenience, and
will promise him On enthusiastic recep-
ton. 4 citizens committee will then be
appointed TO again visit the President
and eudeavOr to induce him TO come.
ANSWER TO THE C. A. r. INVITATION.
ST. LOUIS, Mo, July Mayor Fran
ces,Gs chairman Of the special committee
appointed in February last by the general
executive committee having IN charge the
preparations for the grand army encamp-
ment to invite President Cleveland to
visit this city, received the following re-
spouse by mail to-day:
EXECUTIVE MANSION.
WASHISGTON, July (, lc~l.
To David K. Frances, Mayor Of the city OF -
Louis; Frank Ca!cnuie, President Of tine
Merchants Exchange, and John W. Noble
Commander or Frank l. B!nir Posi-, No. l.
Grand Army of the Republic, Committee.
GENTLEMEN-Whi I have hitherto
made no formal response to your invita-
ton given February last, to myself sDd
Mrs. Cleveland to attend the National
Encampment of the Grand Army of
the Republic, to be held at St. Louis
! from 27th to 30th Of September next, l
have favorably indicated my purpose to
accept it should l find it possible TO be
absent ashington. The statement Is
contained IN your letter that the organi-
zation was never in so flourishing a COndi-
/ ton as now, or the membership 50 large,
that no effort is being spared by the clti-
zens of ST. Louis to insure a vel
come Of unusual warmth at this
! the first encampment of that
! body ever held in o southern state, and
your suggestion "thst no compliment
more fitting could be bestowed upon the
/ valiant defenders Of the common country
/ by the chief executive of the restored
Union, and none would be more
/ highly appreciated than that con-
! ferred by his presence at g
! time and place enlisted by feeling
and interest. More recently the indications
! have been that, however correctly you
| expressed the prevailing sentiment in the
/ Grand Army, there gre members ana some
| posts Of that body entertaining different
| feelings in respect to my acceptance, and
thai nv acceptance Of your invitation
| would lead to disC0rd in the organization
/ as well as an intrusion of COTdis!itysat the
! the coming euCsmpment. without en-
tering into discussion Of these opinions
and unmOved by any feeling, although
/ deeply regret the condition, l can but re-
mark it is my duty TO refrsia from con-
/ tributing by action to SO undesirable re-
suit. Nothing can be of greater Importance
in connection with the encampment than
the free and unrestrained manifestation
by its participants of that patriotic fra
! ternity of feeling suggested Oy the selec-
ton of the place of holding it, and which
is st once The proof Of the complete
! success CT their arms aud
the highest glory OF cur veteran
! soldiers. SIN constrained, therefore,
/ to withhold my proposed acceptance OF
YOUR invitation In so doing l assure
YOU of nv unfeigned hope and sincere
wish that IL the agreeable entertainment
prepared for them by the hOspitable
people Of St. Louis, the veterans Of the
Grand Army may enjoy the most pleas
ant,proftable and useful reunion IN their
history. Very truly yours,
GROVER CLEVELAND.
THE ORIGINAL INVITATION.
ST. LOUIS, Mo, July THE following
is the original invitation sent 10 the
President by the special committee ap-
pointed TO prepare it by the general ex-
ecutive committee having in charge the
preparations for the Grand Army en-
campment. Ii will show exactly
what the President has responded TO:
MAYORS OFFICE,
ST. LOUIS, Mo, Feb. %, 1SSI
Hon. Grover Cleveland. President Of the United
! States:
SfR-The national encampment of the
Grand Army of tha RpDuhlic will he held